Study

Declining biodiversity in agricultural landscapes and the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes

  • Published source details Berendse F., Chamberlain D., Kleijn D. & Schekkerman H. (2004) Declining biodiversity in agricultural landscapes and the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes. Ambio, 33, 499-502.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Pay farmers to cover the costs of bird conservation measures

Action Link
Bird Conservation

Pay farmers to cover the cost of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes)

Action Link
Farmland Conservation
  1. Pay farmers to cover the costs of bird conservation measures

    A 2004 review of agri-environment scheme uptake and effectiveness in Europe (Berendse et al. 2004) found that an average of 9% of agricultural land in EU countries was under agri-environment scheme designation, but that this ranged from 7% or less in some countries (e.g. The Netherlands, Spain, Greece) to 78, 77 and 64% in Austria, Finland and Sweden, respectively. In the UK, four rare species (grey partridge, corncrake, stone curlew or Eurasian thick-knee and cirl bunting) benefited from agri-environment schemes, although the authors note that densities of some species were higher on agri-environment scheme farms before they were designated. Similar methodological issues were found with studies in the Netherlands, where studies found that, at both field and larger scales, there were no population-level benefits of agri-environment scheme designation, although hatching and fledging rates of some species were higher on agri-environment scheme farms.

  2. Pay farmers to cover the cost of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes)

    A 2004 review of agri-environment scheme uptake and effectiveness in Europe (Berendse et al. 2004) found that in the UK, four rare bird species (grey partridge Perdix perdix, corncrake Crex crex, Eurasian thick-knee (stone curlew) Burhinus oedicnemus and cirl bunting Emberiza cirlus) benefited from agri-environment schemes (Aebischer et al. 2000). Although the authors note that densities of some species were higher on agri-environment scheme farms before they were designated. Similar methodological issues were found with studies in the Netherlands, where studies found that, at both field and larger scales, there were no population-level benefits of agri-environment scheme designation (Kleijn et al. 2001), although hatching and fledging rates of some species were higher on agri-environment scheme farms (eg. Musters et al. 2000, Schekkerman & Müskens 2000).

    Additional references:

    Musters J.M., Kruk M., de Graaf H.J. & ter Keurs W.J. (2000) Breeding birds as a farm product. Conservation Biology, 15, 363-369.

    Schekkerman, H. & Müskens G. (2000). Produceren grutto's (Limosa limosa) in agrarisch grasland voldoende jongen voor een duurzame populatie? Do black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa) produce sufficient numbers of offspring to maintain a sustainable population? Limosa, 73, 121-134.

    Kleijn D., Berendse F., Smit R. & Gilissen N. (2001) Agri-environment schemes do not effectively protect biodiversity in Dutch agricultural landscapes. Nature, 413, 723-725.

Output references
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